Elkmont rehab work resumes next week in Smokies

Four buildings in the Elkmont District of Great Smoky Mountains National Park have been restored.
Steve Ahillen/News Sentinel

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Great Smoky Mountains National Park's Appalachian Clubhouse (seen here in 2009 before restoration) and the associated cabins at Elkmont. The clubhouse is being restored by the park for day use.(Photo: Michael Patrick / News Sentinel)Buy Photo

Great Smoky Mountains National Park crews will remove 10 buildings from the historic Elkmont site beginning Monday.

The work marks the end of major demolition that began in 2010.

The 10 buildings sit along a road leading to the onetime site of the Wonderland Hotel and consist of:

The Paine Cabin

The Wonderland Annex

The Servant Quarters

The May/Moore Cabin

The Preston Cabin

The Vandergriff Cabin

The Bowman Brown Cabin

The Hicks Cabin

The McMillan/Keith Cabin

The Richards/Brandau Cabin

The Tate, Beaman and Tucker Cabin

The road will be closed to pedestrians during demolition, contracted to Street Legal. Officials hope to have the work finished by April 30.

Crews plan to preserve the buildings as much as possible by lifting them - foundations, chimneys and all - from their current sites for the relocation.

Further work will begin later this year to stabilize four buildings — the Sneeds, Smith, Higdon and Swan cabins — in the Daisy Town area.

Elkmont began as a place for loggers to live in the pre-national park days and evolved into a getaway resort for the Knoxville area's finest families. In the early 1900s, families came there to cool off in the summer.

The community later fell into disrepair. The park at one point planned to demolish all the buildings but settled on a plan to preserve 19.

“I am proud of the work that we’re continuing in Elkmont as we move forward with both the preservation of the rich cultural history of the area and the restoration of unique, natural communities,” park Superintendent Cassius Cash said.